Duvendeck challenges Martus to represent 69th District in state House

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Republican Patrick Duvendeck is challenging state Rep. Jasper Ryan Martus in the Nov. 5 general election for the right to represent District 69 in the state House of Representatives.

The two candidates from Flushing had no opposition in the Aug. 6 primary.

The 69th District boundaries were redrawn after the 2020 U.S. Census and include the Flint Township, Swartz Creek, Flushing, Clio, Mt. Morris, and Montrose areas.

Martus won the state House seat in 2022, taking 56% of the vote and defeating Republican Jesse Couch and Libertarian Adam Blake Childress in the general election.

Duvendeck ran for state House in 2016 in the old 49th District, losing a close Republican primary to Jeremy A. Baker by a final margin of 595-571. He is a small business owner and worked for 41 years at General Motors in roles ranging from electrician to manager.

Martus previously worked as a staffer for U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Twp., and as a communications advisor for Michigan Democrats in the state House of Representatives.

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Why are you running for Michigan State Legislature?

Martus: My family’s roots in Genesee County stretch back well over a century and it has been the honor of my life to represent our community the past two years. I first ran for office because of the frustration of watching job opportunities move away from Genesee County and the lack of a voice for working families in Lansing. I am running for re-election because I am proud of how much we have accomplished in my first term and look forward to working together on all that is left to do … We still need to create more good paying jobs for our friends and neighbors, reinvest in our crumbling infrastructure, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, create a paid family and medical leave system, and take money out of our politics ... We have achieved major victories for our community, but there are still challenges that must be tackled. I am asking our community once again to help me continue the fight.

Duvendeck: To bring solid conservative policies to the District and the state.

What should Michigan do to provide an equitable, quality public education for all while addressing the current teacher shortage?

Martus: Over the past two years, I have worked with my colleagues in Lansing on record per pupil school funding, increased access to mental health in schools, and developed new workforce development training programs. However, we are still dealing with decades of underinvestment in public education. To improve education for young people in Michigan, we need to continue increasing funds for our public schools, hire more counselors and social workers, expand access to early college and dual enrollment programs, and ensure that every child graduating is ready for college or career. Teachers have had their wages frozen or cut in countless school districts. We should be paying teachers more for the critical work that they do and offer loan forgiveness to incentivize young people to pursue education as a career.

Duvendeck: Schools of choice with vouchers, focus on the basics (Reading Writing and math) stay away from CRT, Woke ideas and stop ideological classes. This will help in retaining teachers by not overloading them with lots of extra requirements. Support discipline in the school.

What do you see as the state’s role, if any, in mitigating the impact of climate change?

Martus: Far too many people treat combating climate change and creating good paying jobs as opposing ideas. We can combat climate change in a way that creates good paying jobs for working families all across Michigan. When we passed robust climate legislation last year, I was proud to work on the creation of the Office of Community and Worker Economic Transition. This office will be focused on helping workers access job training programs and find new careers because no communities should ever be left behind when the economy changes. The next steps for combating climate change here in Michigan include holding polluters accountable, ensuring that green energy continues to be affordable, and continuing to be good stewards of our natural resources.

Duvendeck: Support some efforts toward this but this is not a existential threat. Until China and India get on board we can do little to make a difference. We are making better effort now than most countries.

What actions/proposals, if any, do you support to retain residents in our state?

Martus: Michigan has experienced far too many folks moving away and no community knows that better than Genesee County. The root cause of this is a lack of economic opportunity. To bring back more people to Michigan and Genesee County, there are policies that we can pursue which will help the people here and entice others to call our state home. We must pursue competitive economic development policies which will build up businesses here and attract new businesses from across the country. We need to create a comprehensive paid family and medical leave system … I am currently working on legislation that would create a savings account for every child born in Michigan. Every baby born would have a deposit made in this account, it would accrue interest, and when they turn eighteen they can put the money toward their education, housing, or starting a small business.

Duvendeck: Bring jobs to the state, less regulations, less government meddling in our daily lives.